69novels Page 80
Page 80
Hearing Karma's words, the elders beside her nodded in agreement. Then, Furukawa, without further ado, avoided discussing where the suppressed negative emotions had gone, and instead continued speaking about the ancient traditions of Ionia, the relationship and importance of tranquility, resonance, and balance.
But Farn doesn't intend to stop there.
In a sense, the so-called "discussion of principles" is not much different from debate; both involve using one's own viewpoint to refute the opposing viewpoint. However, depending on different worldviews, many different specific concepts will be involved.
What Master Furukawa wanted to express was nothing more than the tradition of Ionia. And what Fain wanted to express was by no means a trampling on tradition, but a reflection on balance—whether it is right to completely pursue peace and reject and suppress the fighting spirit that humans are born with.
“The seemingly gentle spring breeze and rain, tranquil nature, also possesses a furious side, like a raging storm with thunder and lightning,” Farn said calmly. “Completely abandoning the fighting spirit inherent in people’s hearts, the butterfly should not struggle to break free of its cocoon, and the tree should not strive to grow upwards through rocks to compete for sunlight and to take root downwards to absorb nutrients. If we really want to achieve resonance with the spirits of Ionia, then we should understand this spirit even more.”
Upon hearing Faen's words, everyone fell silent for a moment. Among them, the most surprised were Shen and Jie, who, to be honest, were somewhat skeptical when Master Sinya said that Faen already possessed the qualifications to become a master, but was rejected and excluded by the Temple of Eternity due to differing ideologies.
After all, in their minds, which master wasn't gray-haired? Which one wasn't already famous? Which one wasn't renowned far and wide, with students all over the world?
In comparison, while Fane's reputation wasn't exactly bad, he was definitely a rebellious and unconventional young man within Ionia's high-level cultivation circles. And he was only in his early twenties, close to their age…
In this context, they find it hard to believe that Farn could be compared to those masters in terms of spiritual enlightenment.
But now, some of them have come to believe it.
Because Fane was not simply expressing himself, but rather combining various manifestations of the material and spiritual realms. This proves that what Fane pursued was not chaotic violence, but, like these masters, an exploration of the world and the balance between the two realms.
Faced with Fan's direct and incisive questioning, the masters on both sides fell silent.
They find it difficult to give a precise answer regarding the existence of negative emotions like a fighting spirit. And the main reason for this is...
“This is a taboo.” Karma, who had maintained a calm expression throughout, said peacefully from the top seat: “Master Furukawa is not being refuted by you, nor is he avoiding the topic out of cowardice. Rather, for the whole of Ionia, it represents an unknown calamity.”
As she said this, a slightly surprised look appeared in Karma's eyes as she looked at Fan.
Karma had heard of Fain before, and had even met him more than once. However, in Karma's previous impression, Fain's thoughts were always too extreme, decadent, and pessimistic. This made it difficult for her to truly believe him, even though his reasoning was quite reasonable.
Now, although the meaning of Fane's words is not much different from the past, Karma can now sense a unique emotion beyond Fane's words. That emotion is not the despair and pessimism about the future that she once had, but a confidence and fighting spirit, like a warrior forging ahead without hesitation.
Although it may seem insignificant, these subtle shifts in thought made some of Farn's words more impactful. In terms of expression, not only did his vocabulary become more concise, but it also became more precise and accurate.
It's clear that Fahn has gone through a lot during his time away from Ionia.
Thinking about this, and recalling the discussions, speculations, and prophecies that Karma and her many friends had made about the future, Karma calmly said while pondering, "If I remember correctly, Fan... you once said that you could see the future."
“Just some fragments and clues,” Farn shrugged.
The elders in the Hall of Eternity were not surprised by this. They already knew of it—similar abilities were likely extremely rare on Valoran and Shurima. But in Ionia, where the spirit realm was transparent...
While not common, it's certainly not exceptionally rare. This is because Ionia has always had its most powerful prophet—Karma the Venerable.
Although not explicitly described in the storyline, Karma possesses a unique spell called Eye of the Century in Legends of Rise of Kingdoms (LoR) spell cards, and within the various spiritual realms, there exist numerous spirit realms similar to the material realm. All of this suggests that the Ionians are not entirely ignorant of the future.
However, as mentioned before, "prophecy itself is a curse." Karma said calmly, "Among the Venerables throughout history, there are many painful lessons of how preparing in advance to avoid tragic disasters could lead to disasters or make them even more severe."
“Indeed.” Upon hearing this, Master Furukawa nodded, then sighed and looked at Faen, saying, “I am not denying your understanding of this world, but your understanding of this world is by no means your understanding of Ionia… After the War of the Ancients, the veil of Ionia became exceptionally fragile. Any pursuit of fighting spirit has instead become a source of exacerbating the imbalance.”
Although they disagreed, Master Furukawa's opposition was not due to Fain's support. Rather, it was similar to Fain's previous view—they simply held the unchanging belief that immutability was the best answer for Ionia.
But it's a pity...
“The era of unchanging routines is over,” Farn shook his head.
Just as Master Furukawa was about to say something, a wandering monk wearing a straw hat suddenly rushed in from outside.
"Your Excellency! Elder! Something terrible has happened! Noxus has gone mad! They've declared war on Ionia—no, they've already started the war!!"
245. It's laughable to think about.
"what?!"
Upon hearing the messenger's words, Elder Furukawa, who had been sitting in his seat, suddenly stood up, looking at the newcomer with disbelief and saying, "What exactly happened? Explain yourself!"
Unlike his debate with Faen, this matter was so sudden and serious that an invisible aura emanated from Elder Furukawa, creating a faint whistling sound within the magnificent and enduring hall. The messenger, who had already run there with all his might, felt this subtle pressure and, despite his nervousness, opened his mouth for a long time but could not utter a coherent sentence.
"calm."
Just then, a clear, gentle voice came from behind the crowd. Seated cross-legged on her throne, Karma's eyes gleamed with an emerald light. Looking at the messenger, she flicked her slender finger, and a clear, pale green light entered the messenger's mind. Almost instantly, the messenger calmed down, took a deep breath, and said:
"Swain, the newly arrived leader of the Noxians, has launched a forced attack on numerous towns and settlements along the coast of Navori province, citing the loss of magical materials that could grant immortality and eternal life! And according to the latest news, the coastal area of the Ipu River has also been attacked by Noxus!"
After being touched by Karma's magic, the messenger was noticeably more relaxed and his logic became clearer. He quickly and accurately conveyed the situation in the western coastal area of Navori Province and the southern coastal area of the Ipu River.
Faen wasn't surprised by this, nor did he offer any sarcastic remarks. He knew perfectly well that his confidence stemmed from his status as a time traveler, possessing prior knowledge of the future. In fact, the First Ionian War, Noxus's invasion of Ionia, was relatively clear in the official League of Legends universe and explicitly recorded in the timeline. Furthermore, before returning to Ionia, Faen had used LeBlanc and the intelligence networks of the Twin Cities to ascertain much of Noxus's activity during this period—one of the Twin Cities' advantages.
As the trade hub of Runeterra, Piltover could detect both personnel and material movements by tracking the movements of ships. These combined factors led Fane to conclude that the upcoming major event was the Ionian War.
If it were another region... not to mention anything else, the history of the Twin Cities region alone is a mix of the Battle of Twin Cities and the worldviews of the earlier and later versions.
Without conducting a thorough investigation, Fain wouldn't dare to be so certain that Noxus would launch a war.
While Fane is happy to utilize this advantage based on information asymmetry, he must adapt it to local conditions—at least, in Ionia, this is not suitable.
Thinking to himself, Farn did not immediately react like the others by looking at the messenger, but instead looked at Karma.
Similarly, upon receiving the message from the messenger, Karma's face showed only slight surprise, but not excessive astonishment. She then turned her gaze to Fane below.
Although it was just a simple glance, the two almost immediately sensed each other's thoughts. Without saying much, Fane simply nodded almost imperceptibly to Karma, and Karma silently nodded in return.
Then, Farn turned his gaze to the messenger beside him, and then swept his eyes over the many masters present, saying:
"Look, this is the very fighting spirit of this world! Even though Ionia and Valoran are separated by vast oceans, even if Ionia doesn't participate in any worldly conflicts, remains aloof, cherishes peace, and treats every traveler from afar with kindness, this world itself won't necessarily develop more goodwill. Because this world is always filled with countless bamboos and trees, striving to break through the rocks, grow upwards with verdant leaves to absorb all the sunlight, and spread their roots downwards to every corner of the earth to absorb nutrients, so that a single tree can become a forest!"
Upon hearing Fan's words, the expressions of the many elders present varied. Some wavered and hesitated because of Fan's words, while others only showed a strange determination and rejection in their eyes.
"This is no longer the time to discuss this! We must take action!"
Elder Furukawa, standing to the side, took a deep breath, showing no sign of being moved by Fain's words. In fact, while Furukawa appeared to be the most opposed to Fain, his actual arguments during the debate focused more on undermining the importance of balance to Ionia—a point Fain didn't consider wrong, as it had been right for the past millennia.
"Let's conclude our discussion here," Karma suddenly said. "Elders, please return to your respective sects and convey the importance of balance to your followers and disciples, ensure the safety of the people, and, if necessary, prevent further Noxian invasion—"
Before Karma could finish speaking, an old man beside her said in a terrified voice, "No! We can't fight! Just retreat! We must avoid conflict as much as possible! Otherwise, once a battle and fighting break out, the malice in the mental realm will be even stronger!"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Farn calmly replied, "I should kill you first."
"If you can stop all this from happening, what does it matter if I die!" The old man's eyes showed no fear, only unwavering determination. But Farn's eyes held no admiration, only disgust.
The greatest evil is not knowing one's own evil.
As the old man spoke, the various elders in the Hall of Eternity displayed different expressions. Clearly, even among the elders of the Hall of Eternity, opinions were not aligned on such a momentous matter. After all…
The last time Ionia faced a crisis from the other side of the sea was thousands of years ago, when Ivern, nicknamed the Ruthless, felled the Emperor Willow.
This history dates back to the era of the Freljord's Three Frost Sisters—an era even older than the ancient Shurima Empire.
In this context, Ionia faces a crisis so profound that even the Rune Wars, which swept across the entire continent of Valoran a thousand years ago, did not affect Ionia in the slightest. And now, in this ordinary era…
"It's you! I understand! It must be because of you!!" Another old man suddenly realized, pointing at Fain and cursing with hatred, "It must be the ripples you stirred up in the spiritual realm that caused this nascent land to suffer this calamity!!"
Farn even wanted to laugh.
246. Kalma Darha
If Fane might be willing to argue with someone like Master Furukawa, then he wouldn't even bother saying a word to someone like the one before him who believes in maintaining the balance of Ionia by not retaliating even if killed by the enemy.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Karma said, "Disperse and ensure the safety of the coastal residents first."
Upon hearing Karma's words, Farn remained silent, but the extremely traditional elders beside him clearly had something to say. However, before they could elaborate, Karma added, "I need to resonate with the Venerable Ones of the past. Whatever opinions may be, they must wait until after this."
Upon hearing this, the elders, who had originally wanted to say something, quickly shut their mouths, glanced at Faen, and then hurriedly left.
Shen and Jie, who had only acted as messengers to bring Faen here, stood to the side, looking completely bewildered, unsure of what to do next. They had assumed Faen would leave with them, but to their surprise, Faen remained rooted to the spot. Only after all the other sages and masters had departed did Faen turn his gaze to Shen, Jie, and Riven, saying, "Wait here."
Then, Fane walked towards Karma.
Seeing this, Riven was alright, as she still didn't understand what was going on. On the contrary, Shen and Jie instinctively wanted to stop Faen's actions, fearing that their negligence would cause Faen to disturb the High Priest.
However, to their surprise, just as Shen was about to speak up to stop them, Karma nodded to Fain, and then the two of them walked towards the back chamber of the Hall of Eternity in tacit agreement.
This made Shen and Jie seem to realize something, and they immediately stood still and guarded the spot, no longer saying a word.
Upon entering the rest area at the back, Karma's expression relaxed somewhat—to be precise, she was no longer the aloof and revered figure she had been before. Instead, her gaze held a more human touch, making her seem less like the lofty spiritual symbol of Ionia and more like a real person.
"It may sound strange, but actually, I noticed you a long time ago, before you even left Ionia."
Upon hearing Karma's words, Fane raised an eyebrow in slight surprise, then asked with interest, "What's the reason? And if you noticed it a long time ago, why are you only meeting now?"
“There are many influencing factors, the most important of which is that your projection in the spiritual realm is too obscure and dark.” Shaking his head, Karma waved his hand, and then the teapot next to him seemed to come alive and filled two cups of tea, one in front of Karma and the other in front of Fane.
"For those with prophetic abilities, any emotional bias or flawed thinking can make an already tragic future even more disastrous. This is a truth that has been proven countless times by the Venerable Ones throughout history, and it is also the path that led Ionia to form such a tradition."
Upon hearing this, Fain nodded in understanding.
In fact, after merging with Osiris, and with his enhanced perception of the spiritual realm, Farn also discovered many of his own immature aspects. But even so—
Faen took the teacup, but did not drink it rashly. Instead, he placed it on the table beside him and said, "You are right about that, but I still stand by my own opinion."
“I understand.” Karma nodded, then said, “And now, your way of expressing yourself, your way of thinking, and your projection in the spiritual realm are all more stable than before. This means that you have a clear understanding that some of the things that make up this world cannot be summarized by language alone. So, I think it’s time for us to meet and have a good talk.”
"It's an honor." Seeing that Karma was willing to explain these things, Fan bowed slightly.
In fact, Faen has always been the type to respond politely if you speak politely. Especially in Ionia, where he has lived for over twenty years, how could he be without feelings? Faen is actually quite restrained when facing this familiar land.
That's why Fann was well aware of the kind of courtesy Karma's explanation represented. However, courtesy aside, there was one thing Fann still needed to clarify.
Thinking about it, Fane turned his gaze to Karma.
Sensing Fane's gaze, Karma understood his meaning and nodded slightly, saying, "Speak freely."
"Should I call you Karma, or Darha?" Farn looked at Karma.
Upon hearing Fan's question, Karma was slightly taken aback, then tilted her head slightly and asked, "Where... did you learn this name?"
If before, Karma had maintained her composure, solemnity, and holiness, making people aware that the person before them was the embodiment of the spirit of Ionia, the echo of the soul of Ionia, the spiritual leader of Ionia for thousands of years, the master of the Temple of Eternity, and the eternally immortal Enlightener Karma, then now, a more human surprise flashed in Karma's eyes.
No wonder Karma was so surprised—
More than a decade ago, with the passing of the previous Enlightened One, Karma, a little girl who had never left the mountains in the most desolate and primitive region of Ionia began to see strange visions intermittently.
These visions were strange, like fragments of past memories, but the twelve-year-old girl was certain she hadn't experienced those ancient wars that only existed in myths. Just as the girl thought she was going mad, a group of monks from the Temple of Eternity arrived in this secluded high hill. After months of fruitless searching, the monks were about to leave when, passing by a sanatorium, the little girl rushed out and recounted the hallucinations she had witnessed.
So the monks found Kalma's successor, and the little girl became the new Venerable Kalma, losing her original door mirror—Dalha.
Upon returning to the Temple of Eternity, Dalha bid farewell to his past and began to shoulder the responsibilities of being Kalmar. More than ten years have passed, and even Dalha himself has almost forgotten what his original name was... Whether it's the scriptures of the Temple of Eternity, the monks who practice, the students who come from afar, the masters of Presidium, or even his former clansmen and parents, they no longer regard him as a mortal, but respectfully call him 'Venerable Kalmar'.
And now, this long-forgotten name is actually coming out of Farn's mouth... How could Darha not be surprised by this?
Thinking it over, Darha looked at Farn and said, "This... is this also something you saw in the prophecy?"
247. The Root of Negative Spirits
“Partly,” Farn shrugged, not denying it.
Upon hearing Fane's words, Karma fell into a brief silence, a complex expression appearing between her brows. However, Karma was Karma after all, and she quickly suppressed her inner turmoil, turning her gaze to Fane beside her and continuing, "What would you like to call me?"
“Dalhar.” When Karma asked how he wanted to address her, Fain chose the name Dalhar without hesitation. Sometimes, a well-known name isn't necessarily accepted by the person who uses it. Of course, past names aren't always accepted either, but there's no doubt that when you know a name, at least in terms of how you address someone, you are special to them.
However, it would be a bit presumptuous to call you Darha so casually, so Farn said, "In private, I would prefer to call you Darha, because it makes me feel that you are a living person, not an ancient symbol. Of course, in public, I will still choose to call you Karma. After all... for the sake of tradition."
Upon hearing Fane, who had just been spouting nonsense and even attacking Ionia's ancient traditions in the Hall of Eternity, now earnestly stating that he was doing this for the sake of tradition, Karma-Dalha's lips couldn't help but curl into a fleeting smile.
However, this arc of light lasted far too briefly, so briefly that even Fane wasn't sure if Karma had actually smiled. After that, Karma said, "Then let's talk about Osiris."
Upon hearing Karma name the demon with whom he had made a pact, Fann showed no surprise. After all, Karma's mind contained the spirits and memories of all the Awakened Ones from ancient times to the present. Under such circumstances, Fann wouldn't be surprised at all, let alone recognizing Osiris in his spiritual form, or even if they had fought in ancient times.
Thinking it over, Farn asked, "What do you want to ask?"
"What do you want to do?" Kalma countered. "And what is your relationship with Osilesh?"
With a hint of doubt in her eyes, Karma said, "When I first noticed that you had made a pact with Ossilash, I considered sealing you away. Because in this era, the emotional impact of such an ancient, nascent demon reappearing in Runeterra would inevitably affect Ionia. Growing up in Ionia, you should know that the chaos in the spiritual realm is far more damaging to Ionia than war in the material realm."
Upon hearing this, Fain nodded in understanding.
The war between Ionia and Noxus was very complicated, and the most complicated part was that the Temple of the Endured was always dragging down the resistance in the war – that is, those old-fashioned elders who believed that even if the Noxians started the war, they should not resist.
In fact, they also had their reasons—a fact that can be seen after the First Ionian War. For more than a decade after the First Ionian War, conflicts throughout Ionia—between humans, between humans and Vastaya, and between human expansion and primal natural magic—continued to escalate. In the spiritual realm, attacks on villages by evil spirits and the abandonment of communication between land spirits and humans were commonplace.
Even though the war is over, the marks it left on the spiritual realm have forever changed Ionia. The establishment and expansion of organizations such as the Navori Brotherhood and the Cult of Shadows are the best proof of this.
Farn also explained his thoughts and actions.
Upon hearing Fane's explanation, Karma initially remained skeptical. However, as she learned about the changes in Zaun, Piltover, and Bilgewater, Karma's expression became more thoughtful. After Fane finished explaining his philosophy and listing his achievements in the Twin Cities and Bilgewater regions, Karma fell into a long silence.
"By holistic thinking, the pursuit of extreme pleasure is transformed into a yearning for hope... It must be said that this is indeed a very good method, at least it still belongs to the fundamental emotion of 'pleasure' represented by Ausilège."
After a moment of contemplation, Karma shook her head, looking slightly sentimental: "But you are quite generous, actually willing to share a portion of Osiris's essence with the gods of Zaun—although a contract was signed, it is still exceptionally precious."
Even for an ancient being like Karma, the essence of this nascent demon is exceptionally precious. This is because it is not a single power, but rather a source within the spiritual realm of all intelligent life, all living beings in this world. If the foundation of the material realm is the composition of matter, then the foundation of the spiritual realm is the source of these spirits.